This invention relates generally to theft deterrents and more particularly concerns a theft deterrent usable independently or in conjunction with an existing alarm system to discharge or introduce a deterrent fluid or sound into a protected area.
A device for discharging deterrent fluid or sound into a protected area is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,142 issued to Carol L. Sayers on Sep. 18, 1990. In the ""142 patent, the device is connected to an existing alarm system and discharges deterrent fluid into a protected area at the end of a predetermined time after the existing alarm system is triggered. Deterrent fluid is discharged for a predetermined time period. When discharge terminates, the device automatically resets for subsequent intrusions.
The ""142 patent device is usable exclusively as an addition to an existing alarm system. The device makes no provision for remote control by the owner. If the existing alarm system has been inadvertently triggered, deterrent fluid will be discharged for the full predetermined time of operation of the device unless the alarm is affirmatively interrupted by the user before the predetermined time delay has elapsed. The device is directly responsive to the triggering of the existing alarm and therefore is not independently responsive to motion in the protected area. Since the device discharges continuously for four minutes and then fully resets the system for a future intrusion, if an intruder opens windows and/or doors to exhaust the deterrent fluid from the protected area without subsequently performing an existing alarm triggering act, no further deterrent fluid will be introduced into the protected area by the device. The device is disclosed solely for use in a motor vehicle. No account is taken as to whether the protected vehicle is in operation at the time the deterrent fluid is discharged. No warning is given to an occupant of a moving vehicle that deterrent fluid is going to be imminently discharged into the vehicle. No opportunity to evacuate the vehicle prior to such a discharge is given to the occupant.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a theft deterrent device which may be effectively used in any enclosed area. It is also an object of this invention to provide a theft deterrent device which can be used in stand-alone or add-on applications. A further object of this invention is to provide a theft deterrent device which is triggered by motion in the protected area whenever the device is in an activated condition. Another object of this invention is to provide a theft deterrent device which is operable by remote control by the user. It is also an object of this invention to provide a theft deterrent device which will not place the fluid discharge or sound introduction circuit into an activated condition unless the demand for activation has been continuously made for a predetermined period of time. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a theft deterrent device usable to protect a motor vehicle. It is a further object of this invention to provide a theft deterrent device that will not discharge deterrent fluid into a moving motor vehicle. Still another object of this invention is to provide a theft deterrent device which warns the occupants of a motor vehicle of the impending discharge of the deterrent fluid into the vehicle. And it is an object of this invention to provide a theft deterrent device which intermittently discharges deterrent fluid or introduce deterrent sound into a protected area as long as motion is detected in the protected area.
In accordance with the invention, an anti-theft device is provided which will interrupt a break-in by discharging or introducing a sufficient quantity or volume of a deterrent fluid, such as pepper gas, tear gas or the like, or sound into a protected area to cause an intolerable level of discomfort to the intruder. The embodiment of the device herein described includes an electronic xe2x80x98brainxe2x80x99 automatically operating the system, an optional remote control permitting manual operation of the device, a motion detector input triggering operation of the activated system, a release mechanism such as a motor operated valve, a control circuit gating the deterrent fluid into the protected area, a battery and a deterrent fluid source. When triggered, the gas, liquid or particles (generally referred to as deterrent fluid) are injected or discharged into the protected room, car, safe or other area. The injection or discharge can be intermittently repeated within a certain time interval so that the area cannot be cleared of the deterrent fluid by merely rolling down or opening a window. An optional time delay prevents inadvertent operation of the fluid discharge circuit by remote control. Another optional time delay allows a protected motor vehicle to be evacuated before the deterrent fluid is discharged. The device can be used as an add-on unit with an existing burglar alarm system or as an independent unit.
In one embodiment, the device is secured in a lockable steel box approximately 1xe2x80x3xc3x974xe2x80x3xc3x976xe2x80x3 and is electrically connected to the output of the existing burglar alarm system. If the electrical connection is interrupted while the alarm is deactivated, a line error is reported without releasing deterrent fluid. The device may be mounted in a closet, attic or other area and a deterrent fluid discharge tube extended from the device into the protected area. The device may be mounted in an HVAC system having its fan configured to operate when deterrent fluid is released so as to dispense the fluid into the room or area controlled by the HVAC unit. The device may be hidden in or behind pictures, paintings, vases, lamps or other objects located in the room/area to be protected and connected to the existing burglar system. An abort switch may be secreted in the system to permit interruption of the injection or discharge of deterrent fluid.
In another embodiment, the device also includes a motion detector so that no deterrent fluid will be released into the protected area until motion is detected. In this embodiment, the deterrent fluid can be sprayed directly at an intruder. Motion within five to ten feet of the device, or one to two feet in a motor vehicle application, would trigger the release of deterrent fluid in an activated system.
In a third embodiment, the device operates as an independent unit activated by a motion detector and a remote control. Red and green lights indicate the activated or deactivated status of the device, respectively, preferably intermittently blinking and in an xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d condition for the majority of the time. This embodiment is specially suited for use in motor vehicles. In motor vehicle applications, release of deterrent fluid is prevented while the motor vehicle is in motion. Furthermore, a deterrent fluid pipe line valve concealed in the vehicle proximate the deterrent fluid source permits the user to manually assure that deterrent fluid cannot be released while the user is operating the vehicle.
Preferably, the device includes a source of deterrent fluid, a valve for gating release of deterrent fluid from the source, an electronic circuit including a mechanism such as a motor for opening and closing the valve, a switch for electrically activating the device and a logic device responsive to a motion detector in the protected area for providing an electronic signal only while motion occurs in the protected area and responsive to the switch for activating the electronic circuit during the simultaneous occurrence of the device being in the electrically activated condition and the electronic signal being provided by the logic device to open the valve and discharge deterrent fluid from the source into the protected area. The electronic circuit can cause the motor to open and close the valve intermittently during the simultaneous occurrence above described or can cause the motor to remain open continuously during that simultaneous occurrence. In an add-on mode of operation, the switch is preferably a component of an existing alarm system for the protected area, the switch being normally open when the existing alarm system is activated but not triggered. In a stand-alone mode of operation, the switch is preferably a radio transmitter remote from the device with a receiver responsive to the transmitter switching the device to an electrically activated condition.
In a special mode of operation useful to protect a motor vehicle, the device also includes a switch responsive to the rotation of a drive shaft of the vehicle for preventing activation of the valve motor electronic circuit while the shaft is rotating. In this special mode, a radio transmitter remote from the device signals a receiver responsive to a first operation of the transmitter to activate the electronic circuit when the vehicle drive shaft is not rotating regardless of the detection of motion in the protected vehicle. Preferably, a first time delay circuit delays activation of the electronic circuit until the transmitter has been continuously activated for a first predetermined time period and a second time delay unit delays activation of the electronic circuit for a second predetermined time period after the first predetermined time period has elapsed. It is also preferred that the receiver further responds to the first operation of the transmitter to activate a warning device in the protected vehicle after the first predetermined time period has elapsed to advise the intruder that deterrent fluid will be discharged into the protected vehicle after the second predetermined time period has elapsed. Also, in this special mode, the receiver responds to a second operation of the transmitter to deactivate the electronic circuit.